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This article is written by a student writer from the Her Campus at WVU chapter.

Stop lusting after others’ accounts and take advantage of the new season by changing the look of your Instagram. After doing some research and talking to experts, here are the tricks I have to improve the look of your Instagram.

 

1— Be a follower

Follow others with pleasing feeds and solve their aesthetic secrets by looking for similarities in their photos. “I’ve found posting once a day, actively engaging with followers and the people you follow, and using the Insta story feature does help,” says Geordon Wollner, style guru and social media fellow for college fashionista. She says her gorgeous Instagram is a constant work in progress.

 

2— Smile for the camera

Use a camera to take higher quality photos. Having others take photos of you creates a dynamic look rather than just being full of selfies. However, you must post a bomb selfie every now and then. I don’t make the rules.

 

3— Don’t edit for aesthetic, be the aesthetic

Look for photo opportunities with similar aspects. You can take images with a white background or feature nature in each post. Wollner says she alternates textures through busy, minimalistic, dark, and light images. “I’ve found that to be visually pleasing,” she says. Go with what you think looks good. Bonus points for those wearing outfits that are cohesive with your surroundings.

 

4— Grab your BFFS

It doesn’t matter how you do it, but have fun along the way. If you’re showing off a new trend, have your friends style their version of it for a photoshoot. Adventure around town with your besties and photograph every step of the way.

 

5— Fill your feed

Separate the photos of yourself by taking creative filler images. They can include images of your desk or something you saw while walking to class. Coffee is the love of my life, so my go-to fillers are of my many mugs.

 

6— Market yourself

Promote your posts to bring more viewers and followers. Connecting your Instagram to your most popular platform will drive followers to your account. Chances are they’ll be a fan of your Instagram as well. You can also put your account details in the bio of your other media.

 

7— #UseTags

Including a few tags for your photo will bring others to your posts. This will help you gain more followers and could even encourage popular brands (like Her Campus) to repost your images.

 

8— Make natural edits

Just like each of us, every photo is different. Making similar edits creates a cohesive feed without seeming like you’re constantly repurposing the same photo. “I found two or three filters I use in VSCO, but it’s very rare that I use them at full strength,” Wollner says. “I usually go through and edit contrast and brightness so the images still look natural but the filter does add to the overall cohesiveness.”

What are your Instagram tips? Tweet us and let us know @HerCampusWVU.

Kristen completed her undergraduate degree in journalism at West Virginia University in May 2019. She is currently pursuing her master's degree in the Integrated Marketing Communications program at WVU. During undergrad, she was the managing editor of Her Campus at WVU and editor-in-chief of Mirage Magazine in the 2018-2019 year. Kristen is currently the student editor at 100 Days in Appalachia and a freelance writer for West Virginia-based publications. Previously, she has served as the communications and marketing intern for the WVU Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, a writing and editing intern for New South Media and a photographer for the Daily Athenaeum. She is an avid fan of alt-rock, photography and advocating for women's equality and the prevalence of solutions journalism. Kristen hopes to one day report on internet culture and technology. 
Hi ladies and gents, my name is Mel, Melanie if you're feelin' fancy. I'm a senior studying advertising, political science and fashion at West Virginia University. In addition to my studies, I am the Campus Correspondent for the WVU HC Chapter! You can hear me on the radio at U92 FM reporting the news and hosting morning shows. If I'm not there, I'm most likely at the local Panera eating my body weight in broccoli cheddar soup or writing about the daily, awkward encounters I experience. I represenative of the college of media as an ambassador and the prez of the magazine club. Oversized sweatshirts and jean on jean are my aesthetics. Lover, not a fighter unless you tell me Joe Jonas wasn't the best Jonas. Laters, baby.